Qualifying the Contests:
Contests (and their sub classes) must have a minimum of 5 validated entrants registered before June 1 before a contest will be run. Interested fliers are encouraged to register early, to promote other fliers to also register.
OROC members are strongly encouraged to volunteer to support the operations of contests. If member support is lacking, individual contests may be cancelled.
Prizes will be sought out once a contest has been declared eligible to be run. If a vendor or manufacturer wishes to ensure that a particular contest is run, they should contact the OROC Promotions Director (NH4CLO4@bod.oregonrocketry.org) to discuss.
Depending upon available prizes, there may be 1st place, and runner up, or 1st, 2nd, 3rd place awards. Or, prizes may only be public accolades and recognition if material prizes do not materialize. Flying is fun.
Once a contest has been determined to be eligible to be run, the contests page on OregonRocketry.org will be updated, including any prizes as applicable.
General contest rules are at the bottom of this page.
Register your interest in the contests here.
The contests:
Highest altitude (by class)
Classes:
- BP
- LP Composite
- L1
- L2
- L3
- Unlimited/Research
For the sake of this contest, Low Power is defined as a motor with a total impulse of 160 Newton-Seconds or less. Average thrust, propellant weight, etc. are not considered for the definition of this contest classes. Low Power and Black Powder classes are limited to Junior fliers. All other classes are restricted to Senior fliers, or Junior fliers in a Tripoli Mentorship Program. Complex flights are allowed, and the class is defined by the total Newton-second impulse of all motors.
Tall and Short
Precision target contests for all flight classes. Simple or complex motor.
Highest altitude on a E motor
(no NAR altimeter record has been set as of this writing, TRA doesn’t track E motor records)
Highest altitude on a F motor
(no NAR altimeter record has been set as of this writing)
(no TRA altimeter record has been set for Research Single F as of this writing)
Highest altitude on a G motor (no TRA altimeter record has been set for Research Single G as of this writing)
For the below classes – the closest verified altitude AGL wins. No waiver breaking!
3kft on an H motor
6kft on an I motor (9.375ft per Newton-Second minimum)
12kft on a J motor (9.375ft per Newton-Second minimum!)
5280ft on a K motor (1 mile)
10560 on a L motor (2 miles)
15840 on a M motor (3 miles)
21,120 on a N motor (4 miles) (no complex N’s, sorry)
Mt Hood Challenge
Closest to the altitude of Mt Hood, starting at different “launch sites”
Three main categories, two divisions.
Divisions: Junior/TMP, and Senior.
Mt Hood Sea to Summit
Target altitude: 11,250 ft AGL
Mt Hood – on the Level
OROC Brothers launch site to Mt. Hood Summit
Target altitude: 6,700 ft AGL
Mt Hood Timberline Challenge
Top of Timberline Lodge to top of Mt Hood.
Target altitude: 2,700 ft AGL
Reference data:
Mount Hood has an elevation of 11,249 feet (3,429 meters).
OROC Brothers site has an elevation of 4533ft AMSL (Brothers is 4639ft AMSL)
Timberline Lodge starts at 4kft and top elevation is 8540ft AMSL
Disappearing Act
Highest measured acceleration with a nominal burn, EX motors are A-OK!
All general criteria below apply. For example, if it shreds, you win nothing.
Waiver Tickler
High waiver and low waiver classes:
Closest to 90% of the available waiver at the time, and from that pad location, without going over.
Exception: If a High waiver is in place at the time of a low waiver class Waiver Tickler flight, then the target altitude is 100% of the “Low” waiver. Precision matters, so keep an accurate simulation on hand, and at least one high quality altimeter.
High waiver limits:
From NW “Away Cell” (1000ft) pads: 33,787ft AGL x 90% = 30,408ft AGL Target
From High Power North (500ft) pads: 35,947ft AGL x 90% = 32,352ft AGL Target
From High Power (200ft) pads: 36,118ft AGL x 90% = 32,506ft AGL Target
Low waiver limits:
When a High waiver is in effect: 20,460ft AGL
When no High waiver is in effect: 18,414ft AGL
Time of launch must be recorded by contest runner, LCO or other officials at LCO desk. High waiver status/times will be logged at LCO desk or by Launch Director.
Fastest to 20k
On-board altimeter data verification required post nominal flight and recovery.
Revenge of the Shredstes
Revenge of the Shredstes is a top AGL altitude per class competition. The altitude ceiling is the waiver altitude in effect at time of the flight attempt. Flights exceeding the waiver ceiling can not win.
Revenge of the Shredstes is to be an elite skill competition/demonstration, like Formula 1 racing, or the Blue Angels, not a “heads up, let’s see what it’ll take” competition.
Rocket kits must not have a FWFG airframe, however, you may reinforce a cardboard or other material airframe.
Fiberglass motor casings are OK. Single Use motors are OK. This could get very interesting with ~1.5 inch, ~2.1 inch and ~3 inch diameter rocket kits.
Two classes:
Stock class – Kits must be built to stock with what is defined as stock (some mods may be reasonable) at contest director or designee’s discretion.
Open class – the rocket must appear to be built “stock” from ~10ft away and be made using approximately 80% of the original kit parts. (May contain additional parts.)
To improve neutrality of product vendors selected, as well as the participation of vendors, kits from different manufacturers may be used.
Kits must be from pre-approved kit list. (Not just one manufacturer.) A single kit design from multiple vendors to be included in the approved kit list will be requested. Kit manufacturer may only submit two kits, so some vendors may have a better kit for different categories of the contest. Commemorative kits (decals are easy, custom designs less easy) are encouraged.
The approved kit list will be issued by March 10 for NXRS in June. Vendor supply may be limited, but no less than 5 kits per vendor to discourage one-offs. Vendors are strongly encouraged to ship kits quickly.
Lowest Altitude on an M
How low can you go? This one is obvious, fly an outhouse or other non-aerodynamic object (spool, festive tree, politician effigy) and get the LOWEST altitude that you can get If the rocket is on a non standard design, ie saucer, pyramid, etc. please bring it to the RSO to get it pre checked well before you intend to fly. (note: M ‘class’, so clustering into M impulse IS ALLOWED, if the RSO OK’s the rocket)
Bean Loft
Payload and minimum altitude target, with payload consumption duration. Fastest to meet all criteria and eat the flown beans, WINS!
More info on this contest event: https://project-icarus.space/bean-loft
Jackalope Jam
Similar to it’s fuzzy southern playa partner, this one is less BALLS-y, possibly more eXtreme. Up north in the Oregon sage is home to many a jackalope. Like all of the other contests, but it bears restating, Jackalope Jam operates at a Tripoli Sanctioned Research Launch and as such will operate under the Tripoli Unified Safety Code.
Contestants in the Jackalope Jam are required to fabricate the motor they use. TRA Level 2 or 3 is required to participate in the Jackalope Jam.
Same altitude ceiling as the overall NXRS launch is in effect.
Research Motors only. No metal casings, only plastic, phenolic, fiberglass or paper. No metal parts. Quik-Links, anchors and eye bolts are OK! Soft shackles are encouraged.
All motors must be single use and you must make your own motor(s), no second party motors permitted except as noted next.
All rockets must have a recovery device. Tumble Recovery or glide recovery is not permitted.
Electronics are permitted though not required. But how else will you verify your altitude if needed? Rockets without electronics are not entitled to win anything. Rockets that are not recovered do not win anything.
Multiple and Recycled flights are permitted.
The Jackalope Jam begins at first flight of NXRS, and ends at 11am on Sunday of NXRS.
Mucho Motor
Most motors flown by an individual during the NXRS weekend.
All fliers will be entered by default, data collected from Flight Card review.
Night Flights – Crowd Pleaser
Categories by impulse range (LP, HP1, HP2, HP3)
Crowd vote
Night Flights and contest being run is subject to Launch Director and fire risk.
Most Beautiful Rocket
*Crowd vote*
Putting the Show in NXRS. Contestants must enter to qualify. Rocket must be present, and flown at NXRS to be eligible to win. Build photos, forum or email list threads to raise visibility and awareness of contestants prior to NXRS is encouraged, but not required to win.
Photo/video media from NXRS 2026
Submissions to be sent to OROC Promotions Director, and will be displayed at OregonRocketry.org for club members to vote for. Submissions shall be granted use by OROC for promotional activity.
Photo/video media from any 2026 OROC launch
Submissions to be sent to OROC Promotions Director, and will be displayed at OregonRocketry.org for club members to vote for. Vote to occur after November launch, before January OROC club meeting. Submissions shall be granted use by OROC for promotional activity.
Sage Advice
Rocket finder contest Most rockets tracked and located for recovery.
Need not be the flier of the rockets located for recovery by their owner. Promoting good will and tracking skills.
Report found rockets (with photo and coordinates if they aren’t yours) at Registration desk to qualify to win.
Sage Advice contest will be run without prior event qualification/registrations.
Contests may be flown concurrently. However, to be eligible to win a contest, fliers must register prior to RSO inspection, and declare what contest(s) they are flying on their flight card prior to flight attempt
General contest rules
These rules apply to all contests, unless explicitly excluded.
Flight performance (altitude, acceleration, duration, etc.) is subject to verification of data recorded.
Nominal flight profile must be recorded, no spikes, anomalies due to a misbehaving sensor or error-producing event (i.e. Mach shock waves on a baro sensor, deployment charges or aggressive motor burns on accelerometers.) Such data anomalies will not contribute to a flight eligible to win.
Altimeters must meet the criteria for Tripoli Competition Events.
Flights that are not recovered and inspected post-flight are disqualified. Flights that meet non-certification criteria per Tripoli Level 1, 2, 3 Certification standards or violate the TUSC are disqualified. Yes, this means that if you shred, you don’t win anything.
Exceptions to certification elegibility standards:
Oddrocs are OK, pending RSO approval.
Single use motors are acceptable, and will not be the sole determining factor in determining the re-flyability of a rocket.
Flights that exceed the available waiver at the time (from that launch pad location) are disqualified.
All flights which include STAGED or CLUSTERED MOTORS will need to be pre-RSO’d in good time before your flight attempt.
RSO has FINAL say over any staged/clustered attempts.
Contest rules may be subject to changes due to safety risks at the discretion of the OROC Board of Directors, and may include the cancellation of any contest at any time.
OROC members are strongly encouraged to volunteer to support the operations of contests. If member support is lacking, individual contests may be cancelled.